The Judiciary Police (PJ) arrested a man from the mainland on Monday for engaging in casino loansharking activities, PJ spokesman Chong Kam Leong said during a regular press conference yesterday.
Chong identified the suspect as a 36-year-old man surnamed Li who told the police that he is jobless.
According to Chong, police officers on patrol received a report about an illegal loansharking activity from the security department of a casino in Cotai on Monday. A middle-aged female gambler from the mainland was approached by Li on Friday while she was gambling in the casino. Li offered to lend her money. She agreed and negotiated the loan terms with Li. They agreed on a loan of HK$50,000, with each bet ranging from HK$1,000 to HK$5,000, with a maximum limit of HK$10,000. For each time she won, HK$500 would be taken as “interest” for a HK$1,000 bet, and HK$2,000 would be taken as “interest” for any bet over HK$5,000, along with her passport as collateral.
Afterwards, Li called in an accomplice to monitor and to collect “interest” from her. Li and the accomplice collected a total of HK$35,000 in “interest,” within five hours. After five hours of gambling, the victim had gambled away all the borrowed money. Li and the accomplice took her to a guestroom to discuss repayment. They left after the victim paid them HK$15,000 but didn’t return her passport. The victim arranged to meet with Li again at the casino and requested he give her back her passport. However, Li claimed that she had not repaid all her debts and refused to return the passport. The victim immediately sought assistance from a security guard. Li gave her back the passport afterwards. The police officers arrived later and arrested Li. They confiscated HK$400,000 in chips and two mobile phones from Li.
Under questioning, Li refused to cooperate. The accomplice was still on the run at the time of the press conference.
Li was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday, facing charges of usury.
